Is it good to be an English teacher in China?

If you're thinking about becoming an English language teacher in China, keep in mind that this may be a really interesting and fulfilling career choice! The chance to travel the globe and immerse oneself in a completely other culture will leave you with memories that will last a lifetime. It goes without saying that teaching in China is a difficult profession since you will have to adjust to new and unfamiliar surroundings while also working in a job where no two days are the same!

It makes no difference whether you intend to pursue teaching as a profession, whether you plan to teach English as a means of improving your future career prospects in a different sector, or whether you simply wish to travel the world while earning a good salary, you will only benefit from your time spent teaching in China.

Consider some of the characteristics that distinguish a successful English teacher, which may assist you in deciding if teaching in China is the correct career move for you...

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a vital attribute to possess in order to be a successful teacher, regardless of where you work. Moving to China may be difficult, therefore it is critical to be enthused about teaching when you arrive. A good attitude increases the likelihood that you will enjoy your job far more.

Keep an open mind!

Keep an open mind and be accepting of others; Chinese culture will be extremely different from your own and will take some getting accustomed to, so it's critical that you be tolerant of others with differing viewpoints and values.

Flexibility

The school or education center where you will be teaching will operate in a very different manner from that of the United Kingdom; in general, school life is less structured, and you may only be advised of lesson modifications with very little notice. The ability to cope with this in a constructive manner is dependent on having a flexible, 'can do' attitude.

You may also be teaching courses with a variety of skill levels and ages; for example, you may be teaching basic English to little toddlers in one session, and intermediate business English to adults in another class.

Patience!

Teaching English in China will need a great lot of patience on your part. Occasionally, you may discover that certain students are not progressing as rapidly as you would like, that some students may be a bit rowdy, or that a particular student will badger you with questions about your personal life! Maintaining patience and remembering that every pupils are unique is essential — how you manage your students may have a significant impact on how successful you and your students are in the long run.

Creativity

With a little imagination, the everyday problems of teaching in China might be made to seem more doable. Not all schools and classrooms will be equipped with the amenities that you might anticipate. Teachers that are resourceful may make excellent use of the assets they have at their disposal to create engaging and successful lessons, whether they create their own materials or utilize games to explain grammatical concepts.